Dusseldorf’s Jewish community is pushing for a boycott of a Roger Waters concert in their city.

Waters, the 69-year-old co-founder of the classic rock group Pink Floyd, has been widely criticized for his anti-Israel activities. At a concert in Brussels in July, Waters floated a giant pig balloon emblazoned with a Star of David, among other symbols. Waters has also called on musicians to boycott Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Rabbi Abraham Cooper called Waters “an open hater of Jews.” And the Anti-Defamation League’s Abraham Foxman, in an open letter to Waters earlier this month, said his “views on Israel are in fact colored by offensive and dangerous undercurrents of anti-Jewish sentiment.”

According to German news reports, the Dusseldorf community is calling for a boycott of the concerts scheduled for September 4 in Berlin and September 6 in Dusseldorf.

Michael Szentei-Heise, the Dusseldorf community’s general manager, was cited in Der Spiegel as calling Waters “a spiritual arsonist who should not be given a forum in our city.” He said the stage set was reminiscent of Nazi Party rallies and propaganda. It would be “scary if tens of thousands attend this event and celebrate, dance and applaud to Roger Waters’ music despite the anti-Semitic and Nazi symbolism.”

Waters has told reporters that he uses numerous symbols on his set, and that he has many Jewish friends and even some family members. His sole concern is to protest war and fascism, he said. Earlier this month Waters drew some 28,000 fans to his Frankfurt concert.

Not long afterwards, Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli demanded that Waters remove her image from video art displayed at his shows. According to the Telegraph, she tweeted in Hebrew: “If you’re boycotting, go all the way.”

Spreading the word about the Dusseldorf protest via e-mail, Frankfurt-based pro-Israel activist Sacha Stawski praised the community for taking a stand and suggested that Berlin Jews do the same, particularly given the venue. Waters is slated to play the huge Olympic stadium, which “is particularly reminiscent of the Third Reich party rallies.”

“One hopes,” Stawski wrote, “that there would be protests coming from Berlin, too, and maybe even charges filed [against Waters] for incitement of hate, because that’s exactly what’s going on here.”

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I'm still waiting on some early antisemitic Pink Floyd lines. And how
can you criticize Israel or the circumcision of children without be
antisimitisk or considered antisimitisk? It is an honest question. There
must be a way.

Well I'm a retired educator. Have seen it all, kids threatening
teachers, stabbing, swearing Racist thugs...Education was exactly what
some needed.. Waters says some of his friends are Jews, Now where have I
heard this before? BTW Pink Floyd were my favorite Band of all time, I
just think his Pig with the star of David is a grotesque, overtly Racist
statement which cannot and should not be ignored.

Obviously you don’t know about the history of Roger Waters and
flying pigs. He’s been floating pigs at his show since he was a
member of Pink Floyd, starting back in 1977. Here’s a couple of
images: link to image.guardian.co.uk link to 3.bp.blogspot.com On one
there is an obvious US emblem, with the Uncle Sam figure. Another has
the Soviet Union symbols on it. Since the Star of David has been
appropriated by the government of Israel, there’s no reason why
putting its symbols on a pig is any different than putting US or Russian
symbols on a similar pig. If you object to the misuse of a religious
symbol, then take it up with the Israeli government. link to
en.wikipedia.org

Once the political spectrum was presented to me as a circle, with the
extreme left and the extreme right meeting at fascism. I think Roger
Waters had good intentions to address an injustice. But on the way he
became obsessive, self-righteous and blinded by a situation that is far
more subtle, and not-at-all black and white as he might understand it to
be. Pity. One of my favorite musicians is now a pawn (or knight?) of
the racist, wayward BDSers.

Roger Waters says he opposes Israel's policies. But in fact, in line
with one stream of old English tradition, he simply hates Jews. His
music has been riddled with anti-Jewish sentiments for more than 30
years. Don't let him fool you: his a traditional anti-Semite, plain and
simple.

how come, that the author doesn´t even slightly refer to the
absurdity of this boycott? the only reason for this boycott is Waters
engagement against the occupation, no one can claim he wouldn´t
understand Pink Floyds´s symbolicism, only if he he´s a
complete idiot. this boycott is an insult to all the peace and anti-war
movement and should be revealed as the simple minded action that it is.
dear düsseldorf´s jewish community: you obviously have become
"comfortably numb..."